Christmas at Harmony Hill Read Online Free

when she stood up. She was glad for their company as she headed toward the barn. Something the same from her memories of home. She held the barn door wide to let them come inside with her.
    It was dark in the barn, and she had no lantern, no candle, no hope. The mingled smells of dirt, hay, and cows rose up to her, and without bidding, Gideon’s face was in her mind. She’d once sneaked out to meet him in this very barn. It had been the deep of the night, but Gideon dispelled the darkness with his kiss.
    “The good Lord planned for us to meet and fall in love, my Heather Lou. Of that, I’m certain.” He had wrapped his arms around her. “We won’t let your father steal our hope of happiness. Nor the war either. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
    Her heart leaped at his words, and whatever the cost, only one answer had been on her tongue. When she returned to the house, her mother was waiting. Not with condemning words. Without any words at all, she lit a taper and studied Heather’s face for a long moment before she blew out the flame.
    “I love him,” Heather spoke into the dark air that settled between them.
    “I cannot turn your father’s mind in his favor.” Her mother’swords were laced with sorrow. “Not while the war’s dark cloud is over us.”
    “I know.”
    With her hands on Heather’s shoulders, she leaned toward her until their faces were inches apart. Love shone in her mother’s eyes. She spoke in a whisper, as though she feared the words might seep through the night to Heather’s father’s ears, but the words carried force nevertheless. “Then do what you must do. The Lord will go with you. As will I. Nothing can ever separate me from your heart. Nothing.”
    Do what you must do. Heather had done so then, leaving her home to follow Gideon. She would do so now. She was wrong that she had no hope. Just as her mother would ever live within her heart, hope lived within her in the heart of the child she carried.
    As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she made out the shapes of the stalls. She knew the barn. She needed no lantern to find her way and Ring stayed close to her side to guide her. He had always been her favorite. She found a box to sit on and the two dogs settled at her feet with satisfied huffs of breath. She had no idea how long it might be before Beth could sneak out to her or even if she would. But there was nothing to do except wait for daybreak. Wait and worry. What was she going to do? She had a little money, but would it be enough to keep her until the war was through?
    A few words of Scripture popped into her head. The Lord directeth his steps. Pray that the Lord would direct her steps as well. Show her a way. She pulled her cape closer around her. She was cold and hungry. She moistened her dry lips and thought about the spring behind the house. She imagined the cool water in the cup of her hands, but she didn’t trust her footing down the incline to the spring in the dark. Better to be thirsty than to risk a fall on the rocks with no one to help her.
    No one to help her. The thought chased through her mind over and over until she put her hands on her head and pressed down to stop it. The Lord would help her. She just didn’t know how yet.
    She leaned back against the barn wall and wondered how long she could go without sleep before she became too weary to walk. She was nodding off when the creak of the barn door brought her upright, her heart pounding. The dogs raised their heads but didn’t bark.
    “Heather?” her sister called. When Heather didn’t answer right away, Beth went on. “Please, be here. We so want to see you.”

5

    W e?” Heather pushed herself up off the wooden box and peered around the post toward the door.
    “Lucas is with me. Father’s asleep, but Willie stayed behind to warn us if he wakes. He has been such a help to me since Mother . . .” Beth’s voice trailed away as she looked around. “Where are you?”
    “I’m here.” She